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Iran’s Sham Elections and the Rise of a Military Junta: A Threat to US Interests
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with a group of students in Tehran, Iran, Nov. 2, 2022. Photo: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
World events, including the US presidential election this year, are causing considerable anxiety within the Iranian regime, which is fervently preparing for this possibility by seeking to preserve its oppressive system and ensure a smooth succession from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to his son. Driven by Khamenei’s delusional ambition of expanding the Shia Crescent and challenging the global order, Iran is aligning itself more closely with China and Russia, further exacerbating its international isolation.
For Ali Khamenei and his heir, orchestrating a seamless transition after Khamenei’s demise to uphold the Islamic Republic’s doctrinal governance remains their paramount objective. This singular goal underscores the despotic nature of Iran’s religious leadership, which continues to lean heavily on China and Russia, while maintaining its antagonism towards the West, the United States, and Israel.
In the annals of political theater, few spectacles rival the farcical charade that are Iranian elections. As the nation gears up for yet another orchestrated display of “democracy,” the ruling clerical establishment’s sole objective remains the preservation of its iron-fisted grip on power, and the perpetuation of its archaic system of religious despotism.
The carefully curated slate of candidates, handpicked by the regime’s Guardian Council, is a motley crew of swindlers, fools, and stooges, each one a loyal servant to the regime’s interests.
Dissenting voices are swiftly disqualified, ensuring that the outcome is predetermined, a mere formality in the grand scheme of things. Voter turnout, whether high or low, is inconsequential to the ruling elite. Official figures are routinely inflated through a well-oiled propaganda machine, projecting an illusion of legitimacy to the outside world. The reality, however, is far more sobering, with genuine participation estimated to be a small minority of the electorate.
The candidates, meticulously vetted and selected by the Guardian Council, are predominantly from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or the Ministry of Intelligence. This selection underscores a continuity in Iran’s policy of militaristic and clerical dominance, with each candidate demonstrating unwavering loyalty to Khamenei’s overarching vision.
Former CIA director Michael Morell’s alarming assertion in Foreign Affairs that, “The U.S. is on the brink of facing a significant terrorist threat,” resonates deeply in this context. This narrative parallels the ignored warnings prior to 9/11, painting a foreboding picture of the consequences of underestimating the signals emanating from Iran. The regime’s persistent support for networks like the Islamic Resistance, amid preparations for a possible Trump presidency, highlights a steadfast commitment to its long-standing strategies of regional and global disruption.
The Reformist Mirage and the Public Discontent
Even the so-called “reformists,” once hailed as harbingers of change, have been co-opted into the system, pledging allegiance to Khamenei in a desperate bid to remain within the regime’s fold. Their promises of moderation ring hollow, as they too are mere pawns in the grand game of power, their aspirations for reform sacrificed at the altar of self-preservation.
As the protests of the past seven to eight years have demonstrated, the chasm between the regime and the people of Iran has grown ever wider. International isolation, coupled with the regime’s conflict with Israel and its support for terrorist groups across the Shiite Crescent, have further eroded its credibility and legitimacy.
Ali Khamenei, the self-proclaimed “Supreme Leader,” cuts a pathetic figure — a vindictive, narcissistic, performative, and delusional clown — clinging to the status quo with a desperation that borders on the absurd. His preferred choice for the presidency is likely to be a candidate from the ranks of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), further entrenching the regime’s authoritarian grip.
The next president will undoubtedly be chosen from among the candidates from the IRGC or the Ministry of Intelligence, as the IRGC is adamant about not weakening its Islamic terrorism network (Islamic Resistance) in any way. The regime has drawn its swords; it has no intention of compromising. The presidential debates in Iran are set to be broadcast on the regime’s television networks shortly. It’s important to note that the primary audience for the candidates is not the Iranian public, but rather Khamenei himself. The candidates are keen on winning his favor by any means necessary.
As Iran seemingly transitions towards a junta-like regime, the ten critical aspects defining this shift include military dominance, authoritarian mullah rule, heightened suppression of opposition, centralized power, drastic curtailment of freedoms, rigorous control of information and censorship, utilization of military force, mafia-style economic dominance, rampant human rights violations, and continued international isolation.
The Path Forward: Regime Change or Perpetual Oppression
It is vital to recognize that both the regime’s hardliners and the so-called moderates are merely two sides of the same coin, endorsing suppression, terrorism, and propaganda. The prevailing discourse of regime change significantly outweighs the rhetoric of electoral participation in this authoritarian theatre. The Iranian populace, largely indifferent and disenchanted, seeks alternatives beyond the stagnant and unyielding dichotomy of reformists and hardliners. The regime’s quest is self-preservation, but Iranian society has already moved beyond both factions.
As Iran teeters on the brink of becoming a full-fledged military junta, the writing is on the wall — the regime’s stranglehold on power, its suppression of dissent, its control over information and censorship, its human rights violations, and its international isolation are all hallmarks of a system that has long since lost its legitimacy.
The discourse of “overthrowing and regime change” has become the rallying cry for a populace that has grown weary of the empty promises and hollow rhetoric of the ruling elite.
Still, as the Iranian regime remains in power — and grows more desperate — this increases the threat against the US and the West. The regime in Tehran will continue to use terrorism and its military proxies to sew chaos in the regime, and ensure it always comes out on top.
It is time for the world to recognize that the path forward for Iran lies not in the perpetuation of the farcical charade of dictatorial rule, but in the embrace of genuine democratic change, one that respects the will of the people and restores their fundamental rights and freedoms.
As the world watches, the imperative for recognizing and addressing the true challenges posed by Iran’s strategic maneuvers becomes not just necessary, but urgent.
Erfan Fard is a counterterrorism analyst and Middle East Studies researcher based in Washington, DC. Twitter@EQFARD.
The post Iran’s Sham Elections and the Rise of a Military Junta: A Threat to US Interests first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel Blocks Ramallah Meeting with Arab Ministers, Israeli Official Says
A closed Israeli military gate stands near Ramallah in the West Bank, February 18, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad
Israel will not allow a planned meeting in the Palestinian administrative capital of Ramallah, in the West Bank, to go ahead, an Israeli official said on Saturday, after Arab ministers planning to attend were stopped from coming.
The move, days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government announced one of the largest expansions of settlements in the West Bank in years, underlined escalating tensions over the issue of international recognition of a future Palestinian state.
Saturday’s meeting comes ahead of an international conference, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, that is due to be held in New York on June 17-20 to discuss the issue of Palestinian statehood, which Israel fiercely opposes.
The delegation of senior Arab officials due to visit Ramallah – including the Jordanian, Egyptian, Saudi Arabian and Bahraini foreign ministers – postponed the visit after “Israel’s obstruction of it,” Jordan’s foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that the block was “a clear breach of Israel’s obligations as an occupying force.”
The ministers required Israeli consent to travel to the West Bank from Jordan.
An Israeli official said the ministers intended to take part in “a provocative meeting” to discuss promoting the establishment of a Palestinian state.
“Such a state would undoubtedly become a terrorist state in the heart of the land of Israel,” the official said. “Israel will not cooperate with such moves aimed at harming it and its security.”
A Saudi source told Reuters that Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud had delayed a planned trip to the West Bank.
Israel has come under increasing pressure from the United Nations and European countries which favour a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, under which an independent Palestinian state would exist alongside Israel.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that recognizing a Palestinian state was not only a “moral duty but a political necessity.”
Palestinians want the West Bank territory, which was seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, as the core of a future state along with Gaza and East Jerusalem.
But the area is now criss-crossed with settlements that have squeezed some 3 million Palestinians into pockets increasingly cut off from each other though a network of military checkpoints.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the announcement this week of 22 new settlements in the West Bank was an “historic moment” for settlements and “a clear message to Macron.” He said recognition of a Palestinian state would be “thrown into the dustbin of history.”
The post Israel Blocks Ramallah Meeting with Arab Ministers, Israeli Official Says first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Gaza Aid Supplies Hit by Looting as Hamas Ceasefire Response Awaited
Palestinians carry aid supplies which they received from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in the central Gaza Strip, May 29, 2025. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
Armed men hijacked dozens of aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip overnight and hundreds of desperate Palestinians joined in to take supplies, local aid groups said on Saturday as officials waited for Hamas to respond to the latest ceasefire proposals.
The incident was the latest in a series that has underscored the shaky security situation hampering the delivery of aid into Gaza, following the easing of a weeks-long Israeli blockade earlier this month.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday he believed a ceasefire agreement was close but Hamas has said it is still studying the latest proposals from his special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. The White House said on Thursday that Israel had agreed to the proposals.
The proposals would see a 60-day truce and the exchange of 28 of the 58 hostages still held in Gaza for more than 1,200 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, along with the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave.
On Saturday, the Israeli military, which relaunched its air and ground campaign in March following a two-month truce, said it was continuing to hit targets in Gaza, including sniper posts and had killed what it said was the head of a Hamas weapons manufacturing site.
The campaign has cleared large areas along the boundaries of the Gaza Strip, squeezing the population of more than 2 million into an ever narrower section along the coast and around the southern city of Khan Younis.
Israel imposed a blockade on all supplies entering the enclave at the beginning of March in an effort to weaken Hamas and has found itself under increasing pressure from an international community shocked by the increasingly desperate humanitarian situation the blockade has created.
The United Nations said on Friday the situation in Gaza is the worst since the start of the war began 19 months ago, with the entire population facing the risk of famine despite a resumption of limited aid deliveries earlier this month.
Israel has been allowing a limited number of trucks from the World Food Program and other international groups to bring flour to bakeries in Gaza but deliveries have been hampered by repeated incidents of looting.
At the same time, a separate system, run by a US-backed group called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been delivering meals and food packages at three designated distribution sites.
However, aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF, which they say is not neutral, and say the amount of aid allowed in falls far short of the needs of a population at risk of famine.
“The aid that’s being sent now makes a mockery of the mass tragedy unfolding under our watch,” Philippe Lazzarini, head of the main U.N. relief organization for Palestinians, said in a message on the social media platform X.
NO BREAD IN WEEKS
The World Food Program said it brought 77 trucks carrying flour into Gaza overnight and early on Saturday and all of them were stopped on the way, with food taken by hungry people.
“After nearly 80 days of a total blockade, communities are starving and they are no longer willing to watch food pass them by,” it said in a statement.
Amjad Al-Shawa, head of an umbrella group representing Palestinian aid groups, said the dire situation was being exploited by armed groups which were attacking some of the aid convoys.
He said hundreds more trucks were needed and accused Israel of a “systematic policy of starvation.”
Overnight on Saturday, he said trucks had been stopped by armed groups near Khan Younis as they were headed towards a World Food Programme warehouse in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza and hundreds of desperate people had carried off supplies.
“We could understand that some are driven by hunger and starvation, some may not have eaten bread in several weeks, but we can’t understand armed looting, and it is not acceptable at all,” he said.
Israel says it is facilitating aid deliveries, pointing to its endorsement of the new GHF distribution centers and its consent for other aid trucks to enter Gaza.
Instead it accuses Hamas of stealing supplies intended for civilians and using them to entrench its hold on Gaza, which it had been running since 2007.
The post Gaza Aid Supplies Hit by Looting as Hamas Ceasefire Response Awaited first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Hamas Seeks Changes in US Gaza Proposal; Witkoff Calls Response ‘Unacceptable’
US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy-designate Steve Witkoff gives a speech at the inaugural parade inside Capital One Arena on the inauguration day of Trump’s second presidential term, in Washington, DC, Jan. 20, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Barria
Hamas said on Saturday it was seeking amendments to a US-backed proposal for a temporary ceasefire with Israel in Gaza, but President Donald Trump’s envoy rejected the group’s response as “totally unacceptable.”
The Palestinian terrorist group said it was willing to release 10 living hostages and hand over the bodies of 18 dead in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. But Hamas reiterated demands for an end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, conditions Israel has rejected.
A Hamas official described the group’s response to the proposals from Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff as “positive” but said it was seeking some amendments. The official did not elaborate on the changes being sought by the group.
“This response aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to our people in the Strip,” Hamas said in a statement.
The proposals would see a 60-day truce and the exchange of 28 of the 58 hostages still held in Gaza for more than 1,200 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, along with the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave.
A Palestinian official familiar with the talks told Reuters that among amendments Hamas is seeking is the release of the hostages in three phases over the 60-day truce and more aid distribution in different areas. Hamas also wants guarantees the deal will lead to a permanent ceasefire, the official said.
There was no immediate response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office to the Hamas statement.
Israel has previously rejected Hamas’ conditions, instead demanding the complete disarmament of the group and its dismantling as a military and governing force, along with the return of all 58 remaining hostages.
Trump said on Friday he believed a ceasefire agreement was close after the latest proposals, and the White House said on Thursday that Israel had agreed to the terms.
Saying he had received Hamas’ response, Witkoff wrote in a posting on X: “It is totally unacceptable and only takes us backward. Hamas should accept the framework proposal we put forward as the basis for proximity talks, which we can begin immediately this coming week.”
On Saturday, the Israeli military said it had killed Mohammad Sinwar, Hamas’ Gaza chief on May 13, confirming what Netanyahu said earlier this week.
Sinwar, the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the group’s deceased leader and mastermind of the October 2023 attack on Israel, was the target of an Israeli strike on a hospital in southern Gaza. Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied his death.
The Israeli military, which relaunched its air and ground campaign in March following a two-month truce, said on Saturday it was continuing to hit targets in Gaza, including sniper posts and had killed what it said was the head of a Hamas weapons manufacturing site.
The campaign has cleared large areas along the boundaries of the Gaza Strip, squeezing the population of more than 2 million into an ever narrower section along the coast and around the southern city of Khan Younis.
Israel imposed a blockade on all supplies entering the enclave at the beginning of March in an effort to weaken Hamas and has found itself under increasing pressure from an international community shocked by the desperate humanitarian situation the blockade has created.
On Saturday, aid groups said dozens of World Food Program trucks carrying flour to Gaza bakeries had been hijacked by armed groups and subsequently looted by people desperate for food after weeks of mounting hunger.
“After nearly 80 days of a total blockade, communities are starving and they are no longer willing to watch food pass them by,” the WFP said in a statement.
‘A MOCKERY’
The incident was the latest in a series that has underscored the shaky security situation hampering the delivery of aid into Gaza, following the easing of a weeks-long Israeli blockade earlier this month.
The United Nations said on Friday the situation in Gaza is the worst since the start of the war 19 months ago, with the entire population facing the risk of famine despite a resumption of limited aid deliveries earlier this month.
“The aid that’s being sent now makes a mockery of the mass tragedy unfolding under our watch,” Philippe Lazzarini, head of the main U.N. relief organization for Palestinians, said in a message on X.
Israel has been allowing a limited number of trucks from the World Food Program and other international groups to bring flour to bakeries in Gaza but deliveries have been hampered by repeated incidents of looting.
A separate system, run by a US-backed group called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, has been delivering meals and food packages at three designated distribution sites.
However, aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF, which they say is not neutral, and say the amount of aid allowed in falls far short of the needs of a population at risk of famine.
Amjad Al-Shawa, head of an umbrella group representing Palestinian aid groups, said the dire situation was being exploited by armed groups which were attacking some of the aid convoys.
He said hundreds more trucks were needed and accused Israel of a “systematic policy of starvation.”
Israel denies operating a policy of starvation and says it is facilitating aid deliveries, pointing to its endorsement of the new GHF distribution centers and its consent for other aid trucks to enter Gaza.
Instead it accuses Hamas of stealing supplies intended for civilians and using them to entrench its hold on Gaza, which it had been running since 2007.
Hamas denies looting supplies and has executed a number of suspected looters.
The post Hamas Seeks Changes in US Gaza Proposal; Witkoff Calls Response ‘Unacceptable’ first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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